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The Times / shawlocal.com/mywebtimes • Saturday, July 6, 2024
THE TIMES
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SAVE THE DATE
Honeymoon planning pointers Planning a wedding is a tall task, so it’s no wonder why so many couples look forward to their honeymoons. After months of planning and then saying “I Do” in front of family and friends, couples have earned a little R&R. With so much already on engaged couples’ plates, it’s easy to overlook honeymoon planning. But finding time to plan a honeymoon can ensure the trip is one couples will cherish for the rest of their lives. The following planning pointers can help the trip go smoothly. • Pick a passport-friendly destination. When it comes to honeymoons, couples’ options run the gamut from domestic locales to faraway destinations on the other side of the world. That suggests couples can pick anywhere within their budgets and simply book a trip. However, that’s not necessarily true. According to the U.S. State Department, many countries require that travelers have six months of validity remaining on their passports before they will issue a visa permitting them to enter. So couples should look at their passports to determine how long it is until the document expires. If the document expires within six months of
their passport expiring, couples may not be able to enter the country they hope to visit. In such instances, couples should ensure they leave enough time to renew and receive their passports. • Utilize a travel agency. Contrary to popular belief, travel agencies are still around and remain useful resources, especially for travelers visiting a destination for the first time. Many honeymooners fit that bill, so they can benefit much from working with a travel agency. Couples tasked with planning a wedding already have a lot on their plate, so letting a travel agency take care of the honeymoon planning can ensure a memorable trip without requiring couples to do any legwork. • Purchase travel insurance. The need for travel insurance has never been more apparent than in the last few years. Since the pandemic began, air travel has been a somewhat risky proposition. According to Flightaware, the first six months of 2022 featured more domestic flight cancellations in the United States than the entire 2021 calendar year combined. International travel could prove an even riskier proposition. Though the poten-
tial for cancellation should not deter couples from traveling by air for their honeymoons, the sheer volume of cancellations underscores the importance of purchasing travel insurance. Before purchasing a travel insurance policy, couples are urged to read it in its entirety to ensure it provides the protection they’re seeking. • Plan early. With so much other work to do involving a wedding, couples can be excused for putting
a honeymoon on the back-burner. But planning early can make the trip much more enjoyable. The benefits to planning early include more flights to choose room, a wider selection of rooms/lodging options at your destination, and more time to budget for the trip. Honeymoon planning can be made simpler with a few simple strategies that also can ensure couples enjoy the trip of their dreams. BR237096
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